ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. press — a publisher
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. press — to push
  6. march — the month
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. root — the cause
  10. toast — bread
  11. press — newspapers
  12. march — music
  13. field — farmland
  14. can — to be able to
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. root — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. march — the month
  20. can — a tin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. field — for sport
  23. root — of a word
  24. field — a subject

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com